One of the things I like about older commercial and residential buildings downtown is that they almost always have some sort of small commercial space in the ground floor. With new construction like this, the bottom level has a nice lobby and then the rest is usually dedicated to parking or is simply blank. Many of those same older buildings I admire would have been seen as boring by the standards of the time- it is their contribution to street life that elevates them today.

It wasn’t too long ago that people were predicting Rincon Hill wouldn’t have any new development until 2020 and until then would be a tumbleweed strewn wasteland.
Now there are 5 new buildings finished, under construction or starting imminently (333 Harrison, ORH 2, 45 Lansing, 340 Fremont and 333 Fremont) with maybe 1,000+ units. Times change quickly.

@Milkshake: I can think of 5 significant office projects (350 Mission, Foundry Square III, 535 Mission, 222 Second and possibly 181 Fremont) up against many residential projects: 4 or 5 on Upper Market, 10th & Market, 55 9th St, One Rincon Hill Tower 2, Sutter & Van Ness, Franklin & Golden Gate and probably coming soon 201 Folsom. There is no shortage of residential construction.
@Adam: The Planning Department has designated Folsom as the “neighborhood shopping street” for the Rincon Hill area so buildings along Folsom should have ground floor retail but not necessarily those on other streets in the area.

Looking at those pics with the surrounding area in view, one thing comes to mind–there are so many other old low-rise buildings in that Rincon and South Beach area that can and should be razed and replaced with 20-50 story high-rises

Has anyone heard whether the 76 gas station will remain? It’s one thing to have a gas station with a guy insisting on cleaning the windshield of your just washed car across the street from your building…
It’s quite another to have him practically residing in the lobby?